Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens)
A fresh, evergreen single oil steam-distilled from Cypress needles and wood, valued in skin, hair, and scalp routines.
How to use it
3–5 drops for a crisp evergreen scent, or with cedarwood and citrus.
Diluted in a carrier oil, a common addition to scalp, hair, and post-exercise blends.
Safety in detail
- Max dermal use
- Dilute in a carrier oil for skin
- Phototoxic
- No
- Generally gentle and well tolerated; dilute before topical use.
- As with other pinene-rich conifer oils, store cool and sealed — oxidised oil is more likely to irritate skin.
- Not phototoxic. Keep out of reach of children.
Sources: Selim et al. (2014), BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Composition & chemistry
Aggregated from 9 GC-MS samples across 7 peer-reviewed open-access studies (2014–2025). Figures are the distribution across those samples — median with interquartile range — not a single reading.
- Monoterpene hydrocarbon 88.4%
- Oxygenated monoterpene 4.4%
- Sesquiterpene hydrocarbon 2.9%
- Oxygenated sesquiterpene 2.6%
- Unclassified 1.8%
| Constituent | Median | Typical range | Max | Detected in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| α-pinene ↗ C10H16 | 45.9% | 39.7–49.9% | 60.5% | |
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| δ-3-carene ↗ C10H16 | 22.1% | 17.4–25.1% | 28.7% | |
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| limonene ↗ C10H16 | 4.6% | 4.0–4.9% | 5.8% | |
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| cedrol ↗ C15H26O | 4.5% | 1.7–7.2% | 8.3% | |
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| terpinolene ↗ C10H16 | 4.5% | 3.4–5.6% | 6.8% | |
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| myrcene ↗ C10H16 | 3.8% | 3.5–4.0% | 4.1% | |
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| α-terpinyl acetate ↗ C12H20O2 | 2.8% | 2.5–4.4% | 5.9% | |
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| β-pinene ↗ C10H16 | 2.0% | 1.7–2.4% | 2.9% | |
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| sabinene ↗ C10H16 | 2.0% | 1.3–3.2% | 3.8% | |
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| α-fenchene | 1.4% | 1.2–1.4% | 1.5% | |
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| germacrene d ↗ C15H24 | 1.2% | 0.8–1.8% | 2.3% | |
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| γ-terpinene ↗ C10H16 | 1.1% | 0.6–1.3% | 5.5% | |
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+ 55 more compounds reported across the dataset.
7 peer-reviewed sources behind these figures
- Medini H, Khouja M, Khouja ML, Banfi S, Elaissi A. (2025). Chemotaxonomy and Bioactivity of Cupressus sempervirens Varieties Essential Oils: Insights Into Their Antioxidant and Enzyme Inhibitory Potential. Chemistry & biodiversity.
- Baz MM, Mohammed SH, Mady HY, Mohamed DL, Alruhaili MH, Gattan HS, Alasmari SM, Selim A, Elhawary EA. (2025). Repellent and insecticidal activities of Pinus halepensis and Cupressus sempervirens extracts against the West Nile virus vector Culex pipiens. Scientific reports.
- Fikry E, Orfali R, Tawfeek N, Perveen S, Ghafar S, El-Domiaty MM, El-Shafae AM. (2024). Unveiling the Bioactive Efficacy of Cupressus sempervirens 'Stricta' Essential Oil: Composition, In Vitro Activities, and In Silico Analyses. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland).
- Batiha GE, Teibo JO, Shaheen HM, Shaheen HM, Akinfe OA, Awad AA, Teibo TKA, Alexiou A, Papadakis M. (2023). Bioactive compounds, pharmacological actions and pharmacokinetics of Cupressus sempervirens. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology.
- Akermi S, Smaoui S, Elhadef K, Fourati M, Louhichi N, Chaari M, Chakchouk Mtibaa A, Baanannou A, Masmoudi S, Mellouli L. (2022). Cupressus sempervirens Essential Oil: Exploring the Antibacterial Multitarget Mechanisms, Chemcomputational Toxicity Prediction, and Safety Assessment in Zebrafish Embryos. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland).
- Smeriglio A, Trombetta D, Cornara L, Valussi M, De Feo V, Caputo L. (2019). Characterization and Phytotoxicity Assessment of Essential Oils from Plant Byproducts. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland).
- Selim SA, Adam ME, Hassan SM, Albalawi AR. (2014). Chemical composition, antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity of the essential oil and methanol extract of the Mediterranean cypress (Cupressus sempervirens L.). BMC complementary and alternative medicine.
Every figure above traces to a named table in one of these open-access papers. How this was built →
- α-Pinene — the dominant fresh, piney monoterpene; also the focus of much of cypress's laboratory antimicrobial testing Selim et al. (2014), BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Cypress has been planted near sacred sites for thousands of years as a symbol of endurance.
What the research says
An honest read of the published research — what has actually been studied, at what stage. Not medical advice or a promise of results.
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Cypress oil has been studied for antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity in the laboratory, in line with its pinene-rich chemistry. These are in-vitro findings, not health claims.
Selim et al. (2014), BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Evidence & sources
Peer-reviewed research on Cypress's chemistry and safety. These describe composition and documented effects — not health or treatment claims.
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Cypress oil is a coniferous monoterpene oil dominated by α-pinene with substantial δ-3-carene, giving it a fresh, dry-woody, evergreen aroma.
Selim et al. (2014), BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Frequently asked questions
What does cypress oil smell like?
Fresh, clean, and evergreen — a dry, coniferous, slightly smoky-woody scent driven by its high α-pinene and δ-3-carene content. Selim et al. (2014), BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Is cypress oil safe on skin?
Yes, when diluted — it's one of the gentler conifer oils. Store it well-sealed, as oxidised pinene-rich oils are more likely to irritate.
Is cypress phototoxic?
No — cypress isn't phototoxic, so there's no sun-exposure restriction. Dilute for topical use as usual.
Gallery
The Tree and Its History
Mediterranean cypress (Cupressus sempervirens) is a tall, slender, remarkably long-lived evergreen native to the eastern Mediterranean and parts of the Middle East and Iran. Because of its longevity and unwavering green color through every season, cypress trees have been planted in cemeteries and near sacred sites across Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cultures for thousands of years as a symbol of endurance and mourning — a tradition still visible in Italian and Greek cemetery landscaping today. The wood is also famously durable and resistant to decay; historically it was prized for shipbuilding and, according to long-standing tradition, for the doors of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, said to have lasted over a thousand years before being replaced.
Extraction and Aroma
The oil is steam-distilled from the needles and twigs, producing a clean, resinous, forest-like aroma that many people find grounding and clarifying. Alpha-pinene dominates the profile, giving cypress its fresh, evergreen character, while delta-3-carene adds a drier, sharper woody edge.
Traditional and Everyday Uses
In the diffuser, 3–5 drops alone gives a crisp, evergreen atmosphere, or it can be blended with cedarwood and a citrus oil for a woodsy, focused-work combination. Diluted in a carrier oil, cypress is a common addition to scalp and hair blends (see our hair growth guide), and to massage oils used after exercise, where its fresh, slightly astringent character is a favorite alongside more assertive oils like peppermint.
Sourcing Note
Cypress oil quality depends heavily on distillation care — a well-made batch should smell bright and resinous, not flat, muted, or overly sharp from over-distillation.
Found in these blends
Cypress is one of the oils inside 6 Young Living blends.